ScreenCraft
ScreenCraft Comedy Competition
2023
Reads in Coverfly
Active Since 2014
Open to pilots and features, opportunities include mentorship with Funny or Die, a Q&A with Tze Chun, project development with established screenwriters, and a jury behind comedies like PEN15 and NO QUESTIONS ASKED
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About

Whether your comedy is romantic, dark, slapstick, animated, broad or dry, we want to read your film or TV script! 

We welcome writer, creator, and Exec. Producer Bill Lawrence of hit series' TED LASSO, SCRUBS, COUGAR TOWN, as our special Grand Juror! Bill will meet with the finalists for an interactive Q&A session.

Winners’ projects will be circulated to ScreenCraft's wide network of industry professionals, with the goal of setting up the winners with production companies and studios, and introducing the top writers to literary managers and agents.

Past winners have gone on to sell their scripts to major studios like Shiwani Srivastava who's script WEDDING SEASON was produced by Netflix

We're also excited to present an incredible add-on prize opportunity with literary manager Ashley Calloway of ColorCreative Management!

Benefits

SPECIAL GRAND JUROR

BILL LAWRENCE

Writer, Creator, Exec. Producer, TED LASSO, SCRUBS

Bill Lawrence is a beloved and prolific television writer, director, and producer, best known as the creator or co-creator of series Ted Lasso, Scrubs, Cougar Town, and Spin City.


THE JURY
The top scripts are considered by our incredible industry jury that loves comedy.

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JOSH ROEMER-INGLES

Literary Manger, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment

As a literary manager, Roemer-Ingles represents a variety of creative voices across genres in television and film. He began his career in finance before transitioning to entertainment. He joined Odenkirk Provissiero as Marc Provissiero’s assistant and later become the coordinator for the literary department. OPE is a management-production company that has produced PEN15, NOBODY, NO HARD FEELINGS, among several other titles for streamers and networks.

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CHLOE PISELLO

SVP of Development, Avalon

Chloe Pisello is the LA-based Senior Vice President of Development at Avalon, the independent studio and management group based out of London, Los Angeles, and New York, behind numerous ground-breaking television shows including Emmy and Peabody award winning LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER, multi-award winning and multi-Emmy-nominated CATASTROPHE, breakout hit rom-com STARSTRUCK, acclaimed parenting sitcom BREEDERS starring Martin Freeman, and the beloved slacker comedy series WORKAHOLICS. Since joining Avalon in 2015, Chloe has worked on series across scripted, unscripted, and late-night, with a focus on championing and working closely with multi-hyphenate creators.

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NATHAN GLOVINSKY

Asst. to head of TV, UTA

Nathan works in UTA's TV Literary department, where he's since assisted a covering agent, a partner, and a board member. He was a member of Outfest's 2022 Screenwriting Lab Selection Committee and also reads for Sundance's annual episodic lab programs.

PRIZES
Grand Prize Winner
The overall grand prize winner in either feature or TV category will be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program and receive personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary manager(s) who are looking for talented emerging Film & TV screenwriters.

ScreenCraft's genre specific relationships include companies like 3 Arts, Adult Swim, Netflix, Funny or Die, CBS, and over 150 other Hollywood managers, agents, producers, and development executives. 

ScreenCraft has a proven track record for getting writers signed with managers, agents, and staffed in writing rooms.

-  Personal Introduction to top literary managers
-  Accepted into the ScreenCraft Development Program
 - $1,000 Cash
 - An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
- Free 6-month membership to The Tracking Board

Feature & TV Pilot Winner
- $500 cash award
- Accepted into ScreenCraft Development Program
An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
- Free 6-month membership to The Tracking Board

Finalists
Virtual Q&A with Bill Lawrence
- An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
- Free 6-month membership to The Tracking Board

ADD-ON PRIZE OPPORTUNITY
The ScreenCraft First Look Bootcamp with Manager Ashley Calloway

The ScreenCraft First Look Bootcamp is an optional add-on prize category that will grant one eligible writer the opportunity to learn and strengthen their project with guidance from an industry professional. This unique add-on benefit is separate from the ScreenCraft Comedy Competition prizes and placements.

We welcome literary manager Ashley Calloway of ColorCreative Management who will select one writer/writing team with an outstanding concept from the ScreenCraft Comedy Competition to receive guidance and feedback on how they can best position their project for success. This will include meetings, notes, strategy suggestions, and more.

Only projects submitted to the ScreenCraft Comedy Competition AND that select this add-on are eligible for consideration in this category. Additionally, all projects that place in the Top 10 of the competition will automatically be considered.

Ashley Calloway - Literary Manager, ColorCreative Management
Prior to her work at ColorCreative Management, Ashley was an Account Manager at Studio71 where she executed high value brand campaigns for digital and traditional talent; brands included Disney, Amazon, FOX and many more. Ashley also spent several years working at Creative Artists Agency for high-level agents in TV Unscripted, TV Scripted Packaging and Talent. Delivering women and people-of-color creators best-in-class representation to build their own career-defining brands through commercial success, artistic fulfillment, ownership, and increased visibility throughout entertainment and all relevant industries.

Writer Success

The money and the meetings were great - but the real value for me was the validation that I was on to something with this project. Sometimes it's hard to know when your only readers are the people already in your corner. It's nice to have confirmation from completely objective eyes.
Amanda Verwey
2021 Winner
My experience with the ScreenCraft Comedy Competition was one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. I made the choice to get feedback every step of the way, and - along with some peer feedback - it helped to hone my screenplay, Seldon Seen, to the point that it made the 2021 Nicholl Fellowship quarter finals. The readers approached the story in the spirit it was intended, not trying to change it to suit their personal tastes. It was clear that they read it fully, and their notes were entirely actionable.
Peter R. Feuchtwanger
2020 Finalist
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Coverfly Program Insights
Coverfly vets all programs on its platform, but not every program is right for every writer. Program Insights help you decide where to submit your work.

2024 Winners on Coverfly

Top 1%
TV Script  · Comedy  · 36 Pages
A period comedy about a brilliant nurse desperate to become Victorian London’s first female doctor who takes up grave robbing to master human anatomy and runs afoul of menacing gangs and misogynist doctors.
Jon writes most of his comedy scripts with writing partner Jay Thomas. He writes more dramatic pieces alone in front of a large fireplace. Jon's feature film, SEXUAL ANIMALS, was distributed by Gravitas Ventures in December 2020. His 1st and 2nd loves are Film and TV, but Jon also has a BFA in Theatre from Michigan State University, if you’re into t...
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Show 1 more writers
Top 2%
TV Script  · Comedy  · 34 Pages
When baby bisexual Alice responds to her long-term boyfriend’s proposal by asking to open up their relationship, her picture-perfect life spirals into queer chaos. One small step for bisexuals, one giant mess for Alice—she's made her bed, now she’ll have to suck and fuck in it.
  • IATSE Member
    Verified WGA Member
Los Angeles
Ari Friedman is a queer, bicultural writer, director and clown who grew up in an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish-Guatemalan home, only to turn around at 25 and get her hand tattooed like a schmuck. She recently co-wrote the penultimate series finale episode of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Previously, she was the writers’ assistant on Discovery, as well as on THE COO...
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Top 2%
Feature  · Comedy  · 100 Pages
When jaded single mom Kathy Keating visits her ex-husband at his secluded upstate home, she falls in love with him all over again, only to discover that he's concealing a terrifying secret: his house is bound to an old witch’s love spell, and all who know its power are willing to kill for it.
West Hollywood, CA
Zef Husain is a writer, comedian, and improviser living in LA. An east coast transplant and confused child of immigrants, Zef has performed and written sketches at UCB, Westside Comedy Theater, and many other stages around town. He specializes in comedy, but also dabbles in other genres like horror, sci fi, and action. He loves martial arts movies, ...
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Announcements

Jun 28th
Semifinalists
Jul 26th
Finalists
Aug 16th
Winners

Rules

At the program's request, Coverfly will automatically remove your title page for you if you include one when submitting to this program.

  1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.

  2. Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.

  3. Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.

  4. Entries may be any length --  the standard 1/2 hour is between 20 - 40 pages, and the standard hour long is between 40 - 70 pages, and the standard feature is between 85 - 120 pages. Any script submission longer than 120 pages will incur a $.50 per page overage fee for each page over 120 if it does not include feedback and $1 per page if the entry does include feedback.

  5. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.

  6. Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Pacific Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.

  7. All submitted material must be owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works not owned by the writers.

  8. Material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s).

  9. If a writing team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the person who submits the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing any prizes awarded as they deem fair (whether there is a cash value or not).

  10. Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with a $6 reentry fee through Coverfly. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.

  11. It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition, however we do not require registration.

  12. Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required. ScreenCraft uses Coverfly to manage submissions and automatically removes cover pages before scripts are read by the judges.

  13. ScreenCraft claims no ownership nor option on your work. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders. 

  14. The decision of the judges will be final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the next level as advancement will be based on all scores in the competition.

  15. In the event a juror, partner organization, or prize partner is no longer able to serve in their specified capacity, ScreenCraft will make its best effort to secure a replacement.

  16. ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.

  17. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.

    For a full list of rules and eligibility please visit ScreenCraft.